"Are you alright?"
Gates nodded numbly, not quite looking Gray in the eye as she did so. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine."
The infirmary was relatively quiet, considering the circumstances. There had only been a handful of wounded, and the damage was minimal at best. Even Gates was here more as a formality than anything, suffering no more than a few cuts and scrapes to show for her presence in the now-destroyed interrogation room.
But that was a good thing- it meant they had a chance to talk.
"You sure, El?"
The former captain looked like she was about to affirm her status again- then she lost her composure, and held her face in her hands. "I j-just ... after so long, I never expected to hear his v-voice again ..." Her voice was muffled and wet, betraying her true emotions as she hid them and her tears from the lieutenant.
Gray had no experience in handling these sort of situations. There were only two times she'd seen Gates break down like this; once after the rest of the 6-4 had died, and once when Spyglass had falsely announced that Four had been killed. The woman was a statue most other times, an iron rod of sheer will and grit who defied all that dared to challenge her.
Seeing her like this only brought home the impact of just how truly disturbing their discovery had been.
"Could it be a brother?" she suggested weakly, hoping to find any other solution other than the one presented by Ava. "A relative, something like that-?"
"No," Gates interrupted, lifting her head up and wiping the corners of her eyes. "Four had no family, he told me when we first met. His mother's death was the reason he joined the IMC to begin with, and he n-never mentioned any siblings- certainly not a twin."
"And even then, the age gap ..." Gray continued the thought, trailing off as she realized the impossibility of such a scenario. "There's no way any identical twin could be that much younger, except ... maybe cryo?"
"Long-term cryo-stasis has side effects," Gates replied, shaking her head. "You heard the Ancillary, Six would have had to have been a teenager when Tobias disappeared, and it's been six years since- more than a decade in cryo would certainly lead to unknown physical or mental defects, not the kind of person you'd want carrying out sensitive stealth missions."
"Right," Gray murmured, trying to think of how else-
A thought suddenly struck her. "Hang on- you said Four's mother died?"
"Yes," Gates confirmed. "When he was seventeen, she was killed in the crossfire of a Militia attack. Left him orphaned."
"No father?"
"Never mentioned one. I assumed they walked out on him when he was young- he did grow up on Gridiron, after all."
Gray mulled that piece of information over, and came to a sudden revelation. "Six would have been just a few years old when Four's mother was killed, no more than two or three."
Gates tilted her head slightly. "Your point being?"
"Six was alive at the same time Four's mother was killed, and she wasn't the one who gave birth to him."
Her eyes widened. "Someone did clone Four- and they did it when he was still a kid."
"No one's trying to recreate the savior of the Frontier- Six was created before Four even joined the IMC, let alone became the Inferno."
"But why would anyone want to ..." Gates' mouth shut itself rather quickly as she began to understand what Gray was implying. "Oh, no. No, that can't be the reason-"
"You said Four's father was out of the picture," Gray interjected. "It's not too crazy of a scenario- mother leaves the father, takes their child with her ... and the father happens to own enough resources to recreate his lost son."
"You really think that ... Tobias's father could be the Advocate?"
"I don't know what to think," Gray admitted, crossing her arms tiredly. "But until we have a better idea of what the hell is going on, that's the theory I'm gonna work off of."
Gates was silent for a few moments, processing everything they'd just discussed. After some time, she looked back at Gray, locking gazes with her.
"You need to find him now."
Gray was taken aback. "I'm sorry?"
"He's out there, lost and confused- he has no idea who he really is." Gates gestured at the lieutenant and herself. "We're the only ones who can tell him- if he's right, and the Advocate does have spies on this ship, then they already know that their secret's out. If you don't find him before they do-"
"Then we won't ever find him again," Gray whispered.
Without hesitation, she lifted her wrist to her mouth and spoke into the comlink attached to it. "Ghost-Actual, this is Ghost-1; requesting permission to leave the station."
-X-
He didn't know what to think.
To be perfectly honest, he was starting to wonder if he even knew how to think anymore. He'd been taught how to, once- but had that been a lie as well? Everything he saw was slowly becoming a single blur, everything he heard was just a droning noise somewhere off in the background of his numbness-
"Hey, watch it!"
"Sorry," he mumbled, lifting the collar of the coat he wore a little higher. The person he'd bumped gave him a rather displeased expression, but thankfully seemed satisfied with his apology.
The alleyway that Ellie had dropped him off in hadn't had the widest variety of options with which to build a strong disguise, but he'd found enough discarded clothing in various dumpsters to at least hide his now-defunct stealth suit; a heavy coat and a pair of pants with holes wide enough for his hands to fit through.
He'd been debating on whether or not to don the weathered and torn cap he'd found- but considering his present location, he was glad he'd opted to grab it and the broken glasses frames he'd found.
"The end of the Amalgamation event was certainly a cause for celebration in the outer colonies, but would quickly become the largest turning point in the frontier's history as the heavy losses both the IMC and Militia forces sustained allowed the leader of the Remnant forces, the wartime artificial-intelligence known as Spyglass, to take control over most of the outer worlds ..."
He looked over at the timeline display in the museum, listening to the speaker that told the story of the frontier- the story that apparently he had not been privy to.
"In one surprise attack, Spyglass succeeded in eliminating all but a few of both factions' leaders; Sarah Briggs, Marcus Graves, Cheng Lorck, and Anton Marder were among those killed whilst in the midst of negotiations for peace. This left the remainder of their forces scattered and confused; combined with Spyglass's promise of a prosperous future between mankind and AI's, referring to the Titans used for combat during the Frontier War, Spyglass's reign was all but certain ..."
A woman accompanying a small girl wandered away from the timeline, choosing instead to make their way over towards an array of images detailing various people that Tobias Four met during his life.
After all, this was his museum.
Six hadn't been sure that this was a good idea- after all, it would certainly be a sight to see someone with the same face of the guy who went missing years ago, let alone to see them in a building dedicated to archiving all of his history. But he'd compromised and gone with the disguise option rather than passing up the opportunity. Where else was he going to find as reliable a source of information on the subject?
He had to know.
Quickly, he made his way over to the timeline before the speaker could reset its progress. The display seemed to detect him, and continued from where it had left off.
"Four spent nearly two years fighting the forces of New Humanity where he could, accompanied by his Titan before being inexplicably declared dead by Spyglass via a public announcement. This was later proven to be false, however, as the former Pilot resurfaced again years later to join the group of rebels who had taken up the fight after his disappearance; the Embers ..."
Six looked at one of the pictures on the slideshow the monitor was playing- it was a photo of Four and several others he didn't recognize aside from three- Amelia Vale, the simulacrum who first established the FDN. Gates, the woman who had been in the interrogation room with him. And Gray ... the one who captured him.
He still was unsure what to make of her- she was certainly capable, there's no way she and her team of 'Ghosts' would have been able to take him down if she wasn't. But as far as what kind of person she was, whether she was trustworthy enough to contact again once he'd figured things out ... he wasn't convinced yet.
"This is the last known photograph of Four before the Embers' assault on Regis, taken on Atania while surrounded by his closest friends and teammates. On Regis, the Embers discovered that Spyglass had constructed a modified fold-weapon, altering the designs of its creators, the mysterious Architects who shaped the frontier into what it is today ..."
The Architects ... a race of aliens that built devices of undefinable power, creatures with the capability to manipulate time and space itself. How much else had been kept from him? How much more did he remain ignorant to of the world he'd been living in? Killing these people of the FDN and raiding their ships without ever knowing the true impact of his actions ...
He thought he'd known- but he really only knew what they'd decided he needed to know.
"Details are scarce as to what truly happened on Regis, as survivors of the event seem loathe to speak of it- however, it is known that the fold-weapon was destroyed by the impact of an EOS vessel, the Inferno. This led to the destabilization of the space-time portal it had created, which eventually collapsed in on itself and destroyed the planet. Four and his Titan were reported to be missing in action, and many suspect the pair gave the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the survival of humanity."
He raised an eyebrow, ever the cynic. For someone who gave the ultimate sacrifice, the museum's displays seemed determined to heavily tone down just how much of a role Four's Titan played in his life.
I'm sure Ellie would agree, though she'd consider it rather ironic that you of all people would notice such a thing.
He grimaced, feeling the earlier pain of watching her leave flare up again. Now, even his own thoughts had turned against him.
Shaking his head, he turned away from the timeline and walked over to another area of the museum- one where a larger group of visitors had crowded around a particular glass case.
Managing to make his way to the front of the group unseen, Six found himself staring at a suit of worn armor. It was white, save for the blackened mark on the side of its helmet. Leaning forward, he read the inscription of the plaque that stood before it.
This armor was issued to Tobias upon receiving his Pilot certification with the IMC. Though it was far superior in terms of protection to Militia-issued sets at the time, he voluntarily gave it up to solidify his loyalty to KT and to those who had given him a second chance.
This is more than just an old suit of armor; this is the moment he chose to let go of who he was, and became the man he wanted to be.
- Elizabeth Gates
He read that last line a few more times before lifting his eyes up to the case. The helmet stared back at him, its visor a blue that could rival his own rich irises. Slowly, he stepped back, allowing the armor to fit over his reflection in the glass-
A hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder, and a familiar voice whispered in his ear.
"With me. Now."
Without hesitation, he looked away from the case and followed the one who'd spoken to him towards a spot near the back of the room. There were still people about, but they were far more infrequent here in the shadowy corners. Apparently, they were sparse enough to where his addresser felt comfortable enough to show their face from beneath the hood they wore.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Alastor," Six replied, trying to assuage his friend's fears. "I think the bigger question is what are you doing here?"
"I'm here for you, of course," Alastor whispered. "We received word that you'd been captured- I volunteered to retrieve you personally, in place of a retrieval team. I thought it would make things easier, quieter."
From off to the side, Six heard a set of heavy footsteps approaching them. With complete surprise, he noted the presence of LE-5 as she approached the pair of men.
"Good to see that you're safe, Six."
Though she certainly stood out, apparently she wasn't enough to draw the attention of the visitors; they must have assumed she was some special sort of Ancillary.
"Thanks, LE-5," he answered coolly. Why was she here? Had Alastor used her for transport?
"Where is LE-2?" the older man asked quietly, looking around as though expecting her to suddenly materialize. "We didn't see her outside, and her tracking beacon has been deactivated."
He breathed an internal sigh of relief that they didn't have her, and she'd had the sense to hide. Good thinking, Ellie. But I have come up with an explanation now ...
"She ran," he said- not technically a lie. "She was afraid of the repercussions that might come to her due to the mission being compromised."
Alastor nodded knowingly. "I see- well, we'll have to worry about it later. Our main priority is you- our benefactor is most enthusiastic to ensure your safe return."
Our benefactor ...
At the mention of the Advocate, Six gritted his teeth. "I won't be returning."
There was a moment of silence, one that only ended when Alastor tentatively asked, "What do you mean?"
"Everything I know ... everything I thought I knew ..." He swallowed hard. "It's a lie, all of it. I don't know what's real anymore, and what's fabricated ... but there's a discovery I've made, one I need to pursue before coming home."
"What sort of discovery?"
Six looked back at Alastor, fully prepared to launch into a reveal of what he'd learned over the last day- but something in the man's eyes gave him pause. At the mention of a 'discovery', a small flash of emotion that he'd come to recognize very well crossed the face of the man that he had least expected to see it affect ...
Fear.
"It's true, isn't it?" Six breathed, his voice barely audible. "And ... you knew?"
In an instant, Alastor's face hardened. His expression became less of the friend he'd come to know, and more like the mentor he'd spent his early life training with- the one who expected him to obey without question.
"This knowledge was kept from you for a reason, Six. There are affairs at play that you don't fully understand-"
"Oh, I think there's plenty I don't fully understand," he retorted, his hurt and confusion slowly releasing their hold to anger and outrage. "And who do I have to thank that for?"
"Six, that is enough," Alastor ordered, his tone firm. "This is not the time nor the place for such matters to be discussed. When we are home, all will be explained."
"I told you, I'm not coming-"
It suddenly clicked. He glanced over at LE-5, noticing her stance had changed to that of aggression- she was ready to move at a moment's notice. Somehow, she had managed to inch ever close to him during their conversation. He looked back at his former mentor.
"You aren't here in place of a retrieval team- you are the retrieval team."
Alastor set his mouth in a thin line. "Six, I am telling you for the last time- come with us. Be reasonable, boy."
Six felt his chest tighten; he never took his eyes off of Alastor's. "Alastor, I'm asking you- not just as your student, but as your friend- don't do this. Please."
There were a few tense seconds between them- he watched as his teacher's eyes wavered ever so slightly, as they stared back into the blue eyes of the boy he'd practically raised, the one who was begging him for mercy now.
Then, they became steely once more.
"You should know better, Six ... I cannot ignore my duty. Primus inter pares."
Six turned and ran, or tried to- the back of his coat was grabbed very quickly and firmly by LE-5. Thinking quickly, he shed the layer of clothing and allowed himself to drop to the floor, rolling forward and into a sprint.
He made it no more than two meters before he felt her arm collide with his side, sending him reeling into a crowd of bystanders. Gasps and cries rang out as he felt himself rolling over bodies and tumbling to the floor, his ribs aching from where the Nomad had struck him.
He made one final attempt to escape, but no sooner had he stood up than LE-5 had reached him, and proceeded to place her hand on his throat. The other visitors watched in shock and confusion, unaware of the context for why the AI was attacking him.
"A pity," she said, genuinely sounding disappointed. "Maybe if you had partnered with me instead of LE-2, none of this would have happened."
He kicked at her out of spite, knowing that it wouldn't do anything more than amuse her. He was so sick of this Nomad and her damned attitude. "Maybe- but then I'd actually have to work with you, and no one deserves that kind of punishment-"
She brought her face closer to his, and he could have sworn that the Nomad's optics were glaring daggers at him. "I'm superior to her in every way, and you say I'm a punishment?"
"Not every way, your people-skills could use some work-"
"If this is how you talked to her, it's no wonder she ran at the first opportunity."
"Ellie ran because she can think for herself," he spat angrily, refusing to let her see just how much that jab had stung. "You, on the other hand, are just another tool to be thrown away-!"
"Enough."
Alastor approached them, and tapped LE-5 on the shoulder. "I fear we may have attracted too many witnesses. Contain him, and rectify that issue- is that clear?"
She nodded immediately. "Understood, sir." She turned back towards Six, and he watched in fear as the front of her body opened up in preparation to trap him within her armor.
"No, let me go-!"
He shoved against her with his foot, trying to do everything he could to keep himself from being forced inside- he turned to the people watching them in fear and waved them away.
"Run! RUN!"
A few shrieks rang out at his order, breaking the crowd's stupor. Many of them heeded his advice, heading for any and all exits in a panic. Two in particular tried to assist the young man they saw being assaulted, moving to attack LE-5. One of them tried to pull her arm away, only for her to hit them with her free hand.
The man's face caved in, and his body fell lifeless to the floor. The other started to back away at seeing what had become of his friend, but only made it a step or so before Alastor closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around their head. There was a loud crack, and their body joined their friend's on the ground.
It gave Six just enough of a distraction to place his feet against LE-5's midsection, and push away from her. He felt a momentary relief as he felt her lose her grip on his throat, only for that relief to be followed by immediate pain as the Nomad kicked out at him and sent him spinning into a wall.
There was a great crash as his back broke the plaster; then, he fell to the floor. He gasped in pain as debris fell atop him, trying to force air into his lungs. She walked over to where he lay, and stood over him tauntingly.
"You've defended LE-2 for years, preventing her from being decommissioned- yet, she's nowhere to be found in your time of need."
He groaned, tasting copper in his mouth. He was too weakened to give any other sort of response at the moment.
The Nomad knelt down. "Once we've retrieved you, I have orders to find and terminate her. When I do, I'll be sure to send her your regards."
"No ..." he gurgled, spitting out blood. "Don't ..."
He was helpless to resist as she opened her front paneling up again, and reached out to drag his limp form into her awaiting chassis-
Without warning, the ceiling exploded into a shower of dust and crumbling rock. LE-5 glanced up in shock before being knocked away by the force of a metallic leg swinging forward and driving its foot into her face. The Nomad was sent careening across the room, but used her thrusters to stabilize herself before she landed.
Both she and Six were astonished to find Ellie standing in front of him, crouching low to the ground and holding one arm over him protectively. She stared down LE-5 with a fury he'd never seen from her before, and readied the guns on her arms.
"Don't. Touch. Him."
"Ellie," he tried to say, reaching a hand towards her. "Please-" She couldn't be here, she'd be killed-
"Six," she growled, effectively silencing him, "shut up."
"LE-2!" Alastor called out, recovering quickly from her surprise appearance. "Stand down at once, and surrender Six to us!"
Ellie looked back at Six where he feebly stirred from LE-5's attacks, and shook her head defiantly. "I think I'm where I need to be, thanks."
The man clenched his jaw, and gave a single nod in her direction. "Very well. I wish things hadn't come to this." He looked over at LE-5. "LE-5, no harm is to come to Six- you may destroy LE-2."
"With pleasure, sir," the other Nomad agreed, standing back up and readying her own weapons for a fight.
Ellie looked at her opposition; her sister of sorts. Stronger, faster, and more advanced than she was, she had no misconceptions about how uneven this fight was shaping up to be. "Six, in case this goes badly ..."
She turned back to him as he lay on the ground. "I'm holding you personally responsible if my paint gets chipped."